When I was a boy, our family had an original Nintendo. Everyone played. I loved Excitebike. My sister loved Mario Bros. So did my mom. And my dad ruled at Mike Tyson’s Punchout.

Every once in a while the screen would freeze. But Nintendo Inc. had us covered because they put an ingenious little button next to the power button — the reset button. One press of that magic little button and you’d be defeatin’ Bowser in no time.

Well, that is what I’m doing right now. Every summer of my senior pastor life I have gotten out of town with my family — usually Lake Tahoe — for a couple of weeks to hit the reset button. This year is no different. It is a time for us to reconnect, for my brain to restart, for the Spirit to speak in fresh ways, and for the passions and calls of God to rejuvenate within us.

All that said, you won’t see any new articles or essays on my site until September. Nor will we release any fresh Nate-Holdridge-Dot-Com Podcast episodes until then (I will start posting sermon notes on Sundays once I’m back in the pulpit, however). We are all taking a little time to refocus, reshuffle, and reset. This time will give me space to get out of town, but then also to get restarted when I return.

If you’d like to pray for me, I'm asking for fresh insight and strength while away. I always look forward to hearing Christ’s voice while I’m gone — gone from Monterey, gone from Calvary, gone from writing and teaching. He inevitably stirs and moves me during that time, preparing me for the year to come.